Eggplant Parm Sandwich

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Total: 1 hr 13 min
  • Prep: 20 min
  • Inactive: 20 min
  • Cook: 33 min
These open-face eggplant parms are better than the original; much lower in fat, super tasty and fresh!
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Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups)

3 garlic cloves, skin-on

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Kosher salt

Nonstick cooking spray

1 small globe eggplant (about 1 pound)

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 ounces whole-grain salt-free melba toast, finely crushed (9 pieces)

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

8 basil leaves, roughly chopped

2 square ciabatta rolls, split, insides removed, and lightly toasted cut-side up

4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella

2 tablespoons grated parmesan

1 1/4 pounds cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups)

3 garlic cloves, skin-on

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Kosher salt

Nonstick cooking spray

1 small globe eggplant (about 1 pound)

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 ounces whole-grain salt-free melba toast, finely crushed (9 pieces)

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

8 basil leaves, roughly chopped

2 square ciabatta rolls, split, insides removed, and lightly toasted cut-side up

4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella

2 tablespoons grated parmesan

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have two racks set up in the oven.
  2. Place 3/4 of the tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Roast until the tomatoes burst and start to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Peel the roasted garlic and puree with the tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make the sauce.
  3. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Peel the eggplant top-to-bottom in alternating strips, so that some of the skin is left on, and slice into 1/3 inch rounds. Dip only one side of each round into the egg white and then into the crushed melba toast. Lay out on the sheet tray, crumb-side up. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spray with more cooking spray. Bake until just tender, about 25 minutes.
  4. Dice the remaining 1/4 of tomatoes, and toss with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil leaves and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  5. Preheat the broiler. Place the toasted ciabatta halves on a baking sheet cut-side up. Cut the remaining garlic clove in half and rub on the bread. Spoon 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of each ciabatta half, then top with 3 or 4 overlapping slices of eggplant, 2 more tablespoons sauce, shredded mozzarella, and grated parmesan. Broil until the cheese melts and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes. Top each open-faced sandwich with the fresh tomato and basil salad.
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have two racks set up in the oven.
  2. Place 3/4 of the tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Roast until the tomatoes burst and start to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Peel the roasted garlic and puree with the tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make the sauce.
  3. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Peel the eggplant top-to-bottom in alternating strips, so that some of the skin is left on, and slice into 1/3 inch rounds. Dip only one side of each round into the egg white and then into the crushed melba toast. Lay out on the sheet tray, crumb-side up. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spray with more cooking spray. Bake until just tender, about 25 minutes.
  4. Dice the remaining 1/4 of tomatoes, and toss with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil leaves and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  5. Preheat the broiler. Place the toasted ciabatta halves on a baking sheet cut-side up. Cut the remaining garlic clove in half and rub on the bread. Spoon 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of each ciabatta half, then top with 3 or 4 overlapping slices of eggplant, 2 more tablespoons sauce, shredded mozzarella, and grated parmesan. Broil until the cheese melts and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes. Top each open-faced sandwich with the fresh tomato and basil salad.

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Kelsey P.

Restaurant-quality sandwich. The red pepper flakes give the sauce a nice kick; if you don’t like any spice, consider leaving it out. Only change I’ll make next time is to salt the eggplant to remove bitterness. Just cut, sprinkle with salt, and let sit in colander for about 20 min. Rinse, dry, and then proceed with breading. Truly delicious!

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